Device for securing miniature rails to miniature railway bed units



Sept. 1, 1959 s. SCHAFFAN 2,901,819

DEVICE FORISECURING MINIATURE RAILS T0 MINIATURE RAILWAY BED UNITS 6Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 29, 1955 ATTORNEY Filed Aug. 29, 1955 Sept. 1,1959' s AFFAN SCH DEVICE FOR CURING MINIATURE RAILS TO MINIA ITS ERAILWAY BED UN 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 d\i BY.

ATTORNEY Sept. 1, 1959 s. SCHAFFAN 2,901,819

DEVICE FOR SECURING MINIATURE RAILS TO MINIATURE RAILWAY BED UNITS FiledAug. 29, 1955 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTO'R.

ATTORNEY Sept. 1, 1959 s SCHAF N I 2,901,819

DEVICE FOR SEURING MI ATUIE RAILS TO MINIATURE RAILWAY BED UNITS FiledAug. 29, 1955 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 A TTORZVEY Sept. 1, 1959 s. SCHAFFANMINIATURE RAILWAY BED UNITS 0 T s L I A R E R U T A I N I M G N I R UWuv S R O F E C I V E D Filed Aug; 29, .1955

6 Sheets-Sheet 5 S. SCHA FFAN SECURING M Sept. 1, 1959 2,901,819 DEVICEFOR INIATURE RAILS TO MINIATURE RAILWAY BED UNITS 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 FiledAug. 29, 1955 INVENTOR. \QA/A FA IT ATTORNEY nited DEVICE FOR SECURINGMINIATURE RAILS TO MINIATURE RAILWAY BED UNITS 3 This invention relatesto miniature rail units such as are popularly used in miniature trainsystems and to the device for securing miniature rails to miniaturerailway bed units. Pursuant to the present invention, miniature railsmay be rapidly and accurately secured to bed units automatically bynovel means for positioning and holding the units in position in theassembly operation.

The parts may be assembled and moved out of the assembly position, by anovel apparatus, as will become apparent from a consideration of thedrawings attached hereto, and from the following description. Thedrawings illustrate the application of the method and apparatus of thisinvention in several practical forms thereof.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary top plan view of a device which may be used tocarry out the method of this invention, showing in full lines,retracted, a pair of bars to engage rails to be moved into engagementwith C- shaped open holders on the miniature railway bed unit, and,showing, in dotted lines, said bars in their fully engaged position,

Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan view of the first plate member 26 andassociated parts shown in Fig. 1, the second plate member 74 (which isshown in Fig. 1 as closed over the first plate member) being shown inFig. 2 as open,

Fig. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary, sectional view taken at line 33 ofFig. 2, showing one form of unit release lever which may be used incarrying out the invention, movably disposed in a recess in the plate,

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view taken at line 44 of Fig. 1,showing the plate recess for receiving the slide bar finger,

Fig. 5 is an enlarged, fragmentary, transverse sectional view taken online 55 of Fig. 2, showing the rail and rail holder receiving recessesprovided in the plate,

Fig. 6 is a top plan view of the form of invention shown in Fig. l, withthe second plate which is movably mounted on the device, to besuperposed over the miniature railway unit to hold the same in positionduring the assembly operation, shown elevated as it would be tofacilitate removal of said unit after completion of the assemblyoperation,

Fig. 7 is a similar view, showing the second plate moved to its closedposition over a unit positioned on the first plate, preparatory tomoving the slide bars against the ends of the rails,

Fig. 8 is a similar view, showing the position of the slide bars at thecompletion of their operative stroke having moved the rails into theholders of the unit,

Fig. 9 is an enlarged, fragmentary, elevational view showing details ofone form of means which may be used for connecting the second plate tothe device, showing, in full lines, the position of the parts when thesecond plate is being moved to its open (dotted vertical) position, andtheir position when the second plate is held in closed (dottedhorizontal) position,

tates Patent Fig. 10 is an enlarged sectional elevational view taken online 10-10 of Fig. 11,

Fig. 11 is a top plan view of a further form of device embodying theinvention, prior to the positioning of a miniature railway bed unittherein,

Fig. 12 is a similar view showing miniature railway bed units positionedtherein,

Fig. 13 is an enlarged fragmentary view of said form of the invention,showing the second plate closed over said miniature railway bed units,

Fig. 14 is an enlarged, sectional, elevational view, taken on line -44of Fig. 11, and

Fig. 15 is an enlarged, fragmentary, sectional view, showing the mannerin which a miniature rail unit is held in a O-shaped open holder of aminiature railway bed unit pursuant to the invention.

As shown in the drawings, this invention provides a novel method ofsecuring miniature rails such as shown at 20 (Fig. 15) of T-shaped crosssection within a plurality of registered spaced C-shaped open holders 21formed on a miniature railway bed unit 22 (Fig. 12) or 23 (Fig. 6) saidholders 21 extending above the plane 24 of a face 25 of said unit (Fig.15),

Pursuant to the invention, the miniature railway bed unit is positionedon a registration plate 26 having railreceiving recesses 27 (Figs. 3 and5) registered with the series of holders 21 when the unit 22 ispositioned on plate 26. The recesses 27 (Figs. 2 and 8) correspond withthe axial lines of the plurality of holders 21 (as will be readilyapparent from Fig. 2 from which it will be noted that the recesses 27are in line with the axial lines of grooves 45 to receive said holders21). The plate 26 is preferably provided with registration means, suchas stop pins 28, 29 (Figs. 1, 2, 7 and 8) which serve to both positionthe unit 22 in correct registry on the plate 26 and also to stop theslide bars 30, 31 from excessive movement in operation, as presentlyexplained. The invention may be used for units 22 of relatively straightform such as shown in Fig. 12, or of other form such as the arcuate formshown at 23 in Fig. 6, the said units having a plurality of cross ties32 connected, as at 33, for spaced, transverse disposition (Fig. 6). Aplurality of spaced C-shaped open holders 21 are formed along one of thesides of the units 22, 23, as, for example, in registry with theconnecting portions 33 of said units, for reception of the rail members20; in the two rail track unit, there would be two of such series ofspaced C-shaped open holders 21; for a three rail system, a third seriesof C-shaped holders would be provided; the device of this inventionwould be correspondingly conformed to that use thereof.

In Figs. 2, 6, 11 and 12, the invention is shown used for securing apair of T shaped rails to a railway bed unit, for which purpose a pairof slide bars 30, 31 (Figs. 6, 7, 8), 60, 61 (Figs ll, 12, 13, 14) isprovided. A

.single slide bar may be used for moving both rails into the two seriesof C-shaped open holders from one end of the unit 22, or 23 by theprovision of both rail receiving recesses 27 to either the left or theright of the pin 28 or 29, for example, in Fig. 6 (or of pins 28, 29' ofFig. 11).

A description of one slide bar and associated parts will suflice forboth throughout the drawings; similar parts will be designated bycorresponding reference characters. The means (28, 29, Fig. 2, 28, 29Fig. 12) serves to locate the units 22, 23 on registering plate 26 andalso as a stop means to prevent movement of said units responsive tomovement of the bar and prevent excessive movement of the bar. The slidebar 31 (Figs.

6 and 4) has a finger 35 disposed for reciprocating movement in the railreceiving recess 27, so that, when the unit 23 is positioned on theregistration .plate 26, as shown inFig. 6, andtheslidebaris actuated byanysuitable means 34, slide bar finger 35 .will be moved into engagementwith the end 36 of the miniature rail 20 to movethearail-towardaunitrz23; forcing theirail vinto the holders 21 of theseries carried by unit 23. The means. 34 for actuating. the.sliderbar-31 may comprise av piston or plunger37 reciprocated in thecylinder or actuator 38 which may be an electromagnet, for example, or.air pressure cylinder; hydraulic or other means or the like, actuated bysuitable valve or other control means operated by-the operator, forreciprocating the plunger 37 at the desiredtimes. The reciprocatingmeans 34 kmay be a rod pivoted, as at 39, on plate 26 at oneend, theoppositeend having fixedithereto the slide bars31, and connected, as forexample, by a .pivot 40-withplunger 37. v A'bracket 41 ,may. be providedto stabilize therod 34 in;its movement from the (inoperative) .full-lineposition inrFig. :1 .to the dotted line position thereshown at thecompletion of the vcycleof moving the rail: into the-series of holders21.

I have foundit convenient, in .practicingthe invention, to manuallyinitially insert the rails 20 into a few of the C-shaped holders 21immediately adjacent the ends of the unit 23, and then positioning theunit 23 with-the pair of raiis seouredthereto (as shown in'Fig. 6)downwardly in the recesses 27. Then asecond plate 74 (Fig. 7) maybeclosed over the-unit, as for example, by use of suitable linkagesuchas.shown at 42-5(Fig. 9) to the (left hand) dotted line position, holdingthe unit 23, in position while the rails are inserted into the-holdersas above explained. Linkage 42 may have an operating bar 75. Afterthe'operation has been completed, the plate 74 may be lifted byactuating the linkage 42 to the (right hand) dotted line position shownin Fig. 9, for example. A release lever 43 may be positioned in a recess'44 in registrationplate 26 for actuation at an angle to the axis of thebar finger recess 27 and intersecting the same. beneath the planethereof (Fig. 3) so that-said lever 43 may be actuated (Fig. 3) to thedotted line position to release the unit 23; in practice, the method is.an extremely rapid andraccurate one, requiring a minimum amountofattention by the operator.

In'the form shown in Figs. 1014,- the deviceis used for inserting railsinto units 22 of relatively straight outline, in which case the slidebars 60, 61 maybe movable in-keyways 62, 63 in the plate 26. In thisform of invention, the device is adapted to accommodate a pair of railunits 22 (Fig. 12) each slide bar 60, 61 engaging one of the pair ofrail units to move the same into the series of -G-shaped open holders ofthe units 22. If desired, any suitable means for holding the units 22 inpositionduring operation of the device may be provided. For example, asecond closure plate 64 '(Fig.: 11) may beprovided, connected bysuitable linkage 65*to the plate 26. The pistons or plungers 37, in theform shown in-Figs. 11 and 12, may be straight-line acting'pistons, asshown.

The registration-plate 26 is provided, inyaddition to the rail receivingrecesses 27, with grooves 45 Efor the G shaped holders 21. The opening;76 (Fig; 15) of holders 21 may be formed to-approximately. the.external dimensionsof the base'portion46 of the miniature rail-"so-that, after the insertion of the, rails therein,

said rails will be efiectively locked against removalwith 4 20 to bereceived therein. Means may be provided on the plate 26, such as thekeyway 47 in the Fig. 7 form of plate 26 or the keyways 62, 63 in theFig. 11 form to receive the units 22, 23. In the Fig. 11 form the railbed device may be made for one, two or more units, as may also thedevice of Fig. 1.

Having thus described-my invention, what I claim as new and desire-tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. An apparatus for-assembling a miniature railway track rail onto aminiature railway bed, said bed having a plurality of rail-receivingholders projecting from one face'thereof in spaced, aligned relation,said apparatus comprising a first plate having a plurality of recessescomplementary to the projecting holders of the railway bed, said bedbeing positioned on said plate with its projecting holders disposed insaid complementary recesses, said first plate further being providedwith a rail receiving recess axially aligned with said plurality ofrecesses, said rail being positioned in said rail receiving recess, asecond plate, means to secure the second plate over the railway bed tohold the latter onto the first plate with the projecting holders of therailway bed disposed in said complementary recesses of the first plate,and means extending into the rail receiving recess and movable againstthe rail to move the rail into the projecting holders of the railwaybed.

2. In an apparatus as set forth inclaim 1, stop means on said firstplate so located as to be disposed adjacent the ends of the railway bedwhen thelatter is so disposed in said complementary recesses of thefirst plate, to assure registration of the railway bed with theprojection holder recesses on the first plate.

3. An apparatus for assembl'inga miniature track rail onto a miniaturerailway bed, said bed having two rows of axially aligned, parallel railreceiving holders projecting from one face thereon-said apparatuscomprising a plate having two rows of axially aligned parallelprojection receiving recesses complementary to the two rows of axiallyaligned,paralle1 rail receiving projectingholders, said bed beingpositioned'on said plate with its rows of projecting holders disposed insaid two-rows of projection receivingrecesses, said plate being furtherprovided with a rail-receiving recess aligned with and opening into arow of holder receiving recesses, said rails being positioned in :saidrail-receiving recesses, means secured to the plate,,movable on to therailway bed to secure the railway bed onto the plate with the projectingholders of the railway bed disposed insaid complementary recesses of theplate, and means extending into the rail receiving recesses and movableagainst the'rails while the railway'bed is so secured onto the plate, tomove the rails into the projecting holders of the railway bed.

4. In-anap-paratus as set forth-in claim 3, stop means on thefirst plateso located as to be disposed adjacent the, ends of the railwaybed'whenthe latter is so disposed in said complementary recesses of thefirst plate, to assure registration of the railway bedwith thepropectionholder recesses on the-firstplate.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,132,136 Wattie Mar. 16, 1915 1,309,107 Seidel July 8, 1919 2,086,998Gilbert July .13, 1937 2,290,584 Gardner et al July 21,1942 2,550,898Youngblood May 1, 1951 2,604,692 Broden July '29, 1952 2,703,204 MillerMar. 1,1955 2,726,693 Saxton Dec. 13, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS 376,670Germany June 2, 1923

